Gas chambers are dangerous to the operator.Â Carbon monoxide is cumulative and builds up in the system and hasÂ been the cause of at least one death of chamber operator (in Tennessee which thenÂ outlawed gas)

Operators often have been given insufficient training in using gas, particularlyÂ when using it in a closed room, or when opening the chamber after useÂ because "certification" of the gas chamber is done by a mish-mash of "experts". There isÂ little reason to be certain chamber isn’t leaking.

Gas chambers are inhumane to the animals. They areÂ frequently dragged into the box and forcibly stuffed inÂ illegally (i.e., when animals are put in together with no separation). The animals struggle to get free and attack each other; this has happened in VirginiaÂ even inÂ 2007. Though the chamber is to be manufactured and capable of being cleaned betweenÂ uses, they are frequently made by hand of cinderblock or wood which defies beingÂ suitably and compliantly cleaned, meaning the next animal dies in the box with urine and fecesÂ from previousÂ animals.

EBI (euthanasia by injection), when done in accordance with Virginia law, is lessÂ expensiveÂ than using gasÂ following the steps required by the state, each gassing cycle requires about 45Â minutes, and is one dog (possibly two cats) per cycle;Â EBI, even with a sedativeÂ followed by the lethal injection, takes far less timeÂ calculations of the cost based on much shorter time for EBI and approximate payÂ of animal control officer doing either gassing or EBI confirm; some placesÂ contract forÂ EBI at approximately $7.00 per animal. Using animal records information from the State Vet, it can be shown that, inÂ some jurisdictions, about 50% of an animal control officer’s time – HALF theÂ working time – is spent gassing animals – if Virginia law is being followed.

4 Responses to Virginia has Banned Gas Chambers!

I do hope that this finally passes and will do what I can.
I only wish a National Law would be passed to eliminate these torture chambers everywhere, for once and for all. Sadly there are too many states (like Ohio) that just don’t seem to care about this. Anyone who has witnessed these in use knows first hand the HORROR of Gas Chambers.
I know..because I have.

It’s not just Virgina that need’s no kill shelter’s we need them all over the united states. How about taking money from the needless war and put that money to great use. There killing are USA troop’s and there killing are dog’s and cat’s. However when you go in to the Gas Chamber the lung’s start to burn and then you die, what was that cat or dog’s name? Then there just thrown again like a used rag. THIS NEED’S TO STOP. It’s time for all of us to join together and unite to stop this Needless killing. Were paying for prisoner’s they get 3 hot’s and a got, let’s build more no Kill shelter or give 1 animal to each in mate and let them take resonabilty for that animal and that is 3 hot’s and cot for them. Plus help’s prision be responsible for something then just sitting there on there butt’s doing nothing. Let’s make are law’s enforce 2 bird’s with one stone

of those in the gas chamber. If you do not think animals know when death is near, then you are not living in the real world. Watch a dog struggling, see the fear in his eyes, pleading not to push him into that chamber. Or, watch that sweet older dog, an owner surrender because she was no longer wanted–walk into the chamber without resistence–then listen to her screams and cries of pain. Gassing is backward and inhumane compared to all developments that have taken place since the introduction of this outdated method. Shelter personnel are rarely technically proficient and competent, and often show little compassion when gassing shelter animals. Many states, including New York and California, have outlawed gassing of dogs and cats. Now it is time for Virginia’s legislature–representatives of a state that has produced more Presidents, Generals and leaders in the free world than any other state–to finally step forward and outlaw gassing in our shelters.

Of course, gas chambers need to be banned nationwide, for obvious reasons. I find it insane, however, that we are having spirited discussions about “the better way” to kill an animal, when there is NO “good” way to kill an animal! Killing healthy, friendly dogs, cats, puppies and kittens is wrong. Period. No discussion required.

The topic we SHOULD, and MUST, be discussing is how we can make affordable, accessible spay/neuter available nationwide so that there is no need for killing millions of animals every year.